Korean Pattern ~(으)ㄹ게요: How to Say "I will (promise/decision)"

Verb stem + (으)ㄹ게요. Speaker's promise or decision made on the spot. Only for first person.

The Rule

~(으)ㄹ게요 = "I will (promise/decision)" Verb stem + (으)ㄹ게요. Speaker's promise or decision made on the spot. Only for first person. This is one of the essential Korean grammar patterns. Mastering it unlocks the ability to express "I will (promise/decision)" naturally in conversation — something you'll need almost every day.

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

In English, "I will (promise/decision)" is expressed with separate words (auxiliary verbs, modals). In Korean, ~(으)ㄹ게요 is a grammatical ENDING attached to the verb stem. You can't just translate word-by-word. The common mistake: trying to combine Korean words the way English does instead of attaching the pattern to the verb stem. Korean grammar works by stacking endings, not by adding separate helper words.

How It Works

Formation: Verb stem + (으)ㄹ게요 Verb stem + (으)ㄹ게요. Speaker's promise or decision made on the spot. Only for first person. Step by step: 1. Take any verb (e.g., 가다 = to go) 2. Remove 다 to get the stem (가) 3. Add the pattern: 가으ㄹ게요 This works with virtually any Korean verb.

Real Examples

• 제가 할게요. (jega hargeyo.) — "I'll do it." • 내일 전화할게요. (naeir jeonhwahargeyo.) — "I'll call you tomorrow."

Common Mistakes

❌ Trying to translate "I will (promise/decision)" word-by-word from English ✅ Use the pattern ~(으)ㄹ게요 attached to the verb stem → Korean expresses "I will (promise/decision)" as a single grammatical construction, not separate words. ❌ Forgetting vowel harmony or consonant rules ✅ Check if the verb stem ends in a vowel or consonant — the pattern may change form → Pay attention to the verb stem's final sound when attaching the pattern.

Quick Tip

Practice ~(으)ㄹ게요 with 5 verbs you already know. Write them out: • 가다 (go) → 가으ㄹ게요 • 먹다 (eat) → 먹으ㄹ게요 Repetition with familiar verbs builds the pattern into muscle memory. Once automatic, you can use it with ANY verb.

~(으)ㄹ게요 = "I will (promise/decision)"

Examples

제가 할게요. — jega hargeyo. — I'll do it.

내일 전화할게요. — naeir jeonhwahargeyo. — I'll call you tomorrow.